Beekeepers learn how to “make increase” by making nucs from existing hives. Beekeeping tips and techniques as presented at the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association meeting on April 8, 2015 (Harford and Cecil Counties, in northeastern Maryland).

I have 3 first year hives (doing very well, 18 – 20 full frames in each of them), however one of them appears to have swarm cells. I am told by a more experienced bee keeper it is unlikely that they will swarm and that they are just replacing the queen which happens in about 10% of first year Californian queens. My question is can I make a nuc using frames from all three hives or should I only make nucs from second year colonies?﻿